A group of officers from the U.S. Marine Corps based in Okinawa, Japan, came to Bacolod City at noon yesterday to distribute toys and other gifts to children from 13 local organizations, schools and church groups.

On board a C-130 plane, the group, headed by Col. Mark Kauzlarich, came to the Philippines for the first time to bring the Toys for Tots Program to Negrense children.

They landed at the Bacolod airport where big boxes of new toys, clothes and books were brought down from the plane to the delight of more than a hundred children awaiting their arrival.

"No child should ever go without a toy for Christmas," Kauzlarich said, explaining why they brought Christmas presents to about 2,000 needy children in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental, donated by American marines, airmen and soldiers and their families.

He said the U.S. Marine Corps' Toys for Tots Program knew about the plight of the poor children through Manuel "Don" Biadog Jr., commander of the U.S. Navy Chaplain Corps, who hails from Talisay City.

We grabbed the opportunity (to come here), Kauzlaurich, commanding officer of the III Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group, said. "In the true meaning of Christmas, which is the birth of Christ and giving, that's why we're her today."

Biadog, who's been with the U.S. Navy for 15 years, said he wants to help poor people in his home province so he looked for groups that could benefit from the Toys for Tots Program.

During their two-hour visit to Bacolod, they were joined by Capt. James Puttler, Capt. Stephen McCartney, Cpl. Nicolas Diorio, RP3 Nicolas Anderson and LCpl. Christopher Peace.

Kauzlarich said he was glad at the warm welcome. "It's a wonderful reception. We see smiling faces," he said.

At the turnover rites held just outside the PAL terminal's arrival area, the visiting U.S. Marines were welcomed by local officials led by Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia and Gov. Joseph Marañon's chief of staff, Jose Maria Valencia.

The beneficiaries of the Toys for Tots Program were children from the Calvary Chapel Home- Bacolod, Mother Theresa Missionaries of Charity, Home for Blind Children, Estefania Elementary School, Open Door in Dos Hermanas, Talisay City, squatter families from Zones 11 and 12 in Talisay City and those with Fr. Noly Que;

Physical Rehabilitation Center of Silay City, families from Brgy. Mambulac, Silay City, Christian in Action, Baptist Missionary Association of the Philippines and Makilan Elementary School in Bago City and Dos Hermanas Padre in Talisay City.

Josephine Delfin, a mother of four from Talisay City, said she is thankful for the gifts received by her children.

"It's a big help for a poor family like us," she said.

The U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program, which began in 1947, has so far, distributed more than 332.5 million toys to 158.7 million needy children in the U.S. and other countries, its official website said.

In 1995, the U.S. Secretary of Defense approved Toys for Tots an official activity of the U.S. Marine Corps and an official mission of the Marine Corps Reserve.*NLG

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